Find the best tools to become a professional content creator

Congratulations – if you’re here, that means you’re just starting out as a digital content creator, or you’re looking to step up your digital presence and turn your posts into potential sources of revenue. We’re here to help you start your journey by debunking the myths around lengthy, expensive lists of tools that are generally considered a must if you wish to become a content creator. Stick around and learn more about what a content creator is and all the tools you really need, plus some handy pro tips we can’t wait to see you put into action. 

What is a content creator?

Ever since the YouTube golden years back in the 2010s, some people distinguished themselves through great engagement, quality content, and amazing communities they’ve built throughout the years. If names like PewDiePie or Jenna Marbles are some of the examples that come to mind, you’re on the right track. Today, with the rise of less-curated content on social media, namely more raw and natural, authentic content that takes a couple of minutes to be put together, you can be a content creator, your neighbor can be a content creator, and we’re pretty sure at least one of your former high school classmates would (if they don’t already) fit the box. 

While there isn’t a clear definition that exactly answers the question of what is a content creator, it’s generally accepted that any person who creates and shares content on the internet, in some cases even as a source of income, fits the label of digital content creator.

If we were to label content makers by types of content for social media and their platforms of choice, here’s what a list would look like:

• Vloggers
• Bloggers
• Writers
• Streamers 
• Social media content creators
• UGC content creators
• Podcast content creators
• Pretty much anyone who creates or curates digital content

In short, a content creator is someone who can take an idea, a concept, a video, sound, image, or any shape of media and work their magic with the right tools before putting their finished project out there into the multimedia realm we scroll through daily.

Choose your niche

We bet you’ve read and heard this over a dozen times before, but it’s really sound advice. Choosing your niche as a digital content creator should start with something you’re genuinely passionate about. Most social media content creators put a lot of pressure on themselves before they even get down to filming and editing simply because they haven’t identified the exact creative bracket they fit into. This sort of process might come naturally to a very small percentage of people, but it doesn’t have to be the case for everyone. Take your time and experiment with varied types of media, content, and social platforms before deciding. After all, there’s no harm in exploring different types of content for social media, and this can help build up your digital presence in unexpected ways.

Pro tip: Your daily scrolling sessions are a great method to uncover new trends and identify what has the potential to become viral. Check out what the others are doing!

Know your audience

Before you actually build a social presence as a social media content creator, you need to know – and we mean really know – your audience. Explore the most popular hashtags and posts around your content niche and see what works for other creators as well. Don’t go too deep into metrics while you’re only researching, but do keep a close eye on engagement: what makes people spark conversations in the comment sections? What are the most relatable types of posts that are more likely to be shared with friends and families? It’s time to turn into a little spy and see what your competitors are doing well and what they aren’t, and take notes! Different types of audiences live and consume what content makers create on different platforms. That being said, you’ll find specific categories DMing away on Instagram, while others would much rather scroll through TikToks or watch YouTube Shorts after Shorts and so on. This is why we’ll leave you with one pro tip: you don’t need to be making something brand new, like re-inventing the wheel every time you post, as you can simply put together a strong content distribution strategy. You can save a lot of time and effort if you repurpose video content from one social media platform to another, and by simply adding a few little tweaks here and there, thanks to Flixier’s intuitive interface, your monthly post calendar could be done easily and faster.

What tools are a must for content creators?

The right equipment

You might be expecting an expensive list of professional-grade video cameras and photo cameras, a flash add-on, or five types of lenses. In reality, you only really need your smartphone and a laptop or PC for editing (but more on that later). Present-day smartphones, as well as models released in the past couple of years, pack mighty cameras that can pull off high-quality footage, almost as good as their pro counterparts. If you don’t believe us, take it from Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign, where the entire company’s branding was wonderfully represented through footage shot and edited on their flagship devices. We’re not saying you absolutely don’t need any sort of equipment – the occasional use of a ring light or tripod is actually very welcome – but we’re gently confirming that you don’t need to spend big money and blow your budget out of the water as you’re just starting out. After all, it’s a game of experimenting and finding what works for you.

Editing stack: the one tool to rule them all

You know it! Any content maker needs a reliable stack of tools that can help them edit scroll-stopping videos and photos. A tool for enhancing video quality, one tool for resizing and repurposing videos for cross-posting purposes, another tool for transitions and effects, and yet another tool for overlays and text, stickers, logos, or CTAs. As overwhelming as that sounds, what if we told you that there is one tool to rule them all? An online video editor that packs hundreds of features and runs right in your browser is the solution you didn’t even know you needed. We’ve created Flixier with the dream of bringing an accessible tool to the fingertips of video creators all around the world and empowering them to become the best version of themselves through an eye-catching digital presence. Flixier not only lets you edit YouTube videos but also helps you work with multiple types of content and, most importantly, multiple platforms. Live out your social media content creator dream and craft engaging videos for Instagram, Twitch, and TikTok, no matter your niche. Boost your organic presence with our built-in Facebook ad creator and leverage our social media safe zones feature to avoid overlap with interface elements for a truly professional look. We didn’t forget about captions either, and our fully customizable auto subtitle generator works its magic while saving you time. We infused Flixier’s tool stack with AI-powered features so that you can enjoy the many benefits of machine learning as a part of your content creation process. 

Building a portfolio

The beauty of being a content creator is that you’re simultaneously experimenting, growing, and having fun while posting, as well as actively building your portfolio. Simply get the right video editing tools, pop open a browser tab, and unleash your creativity. Whether you’re looking into conquering new platforms with a podcast video editor, taking YouTube by storm with long-form, or making TikTok and Instagram your playground, the most important thing is to experiment as much as possible, and you’d be building up a significant portfolio along the way. Mixing business and pleasure has never been easier.

Whether it’s the next viral TikTok, what will become a pop-culture reference YouTube video, or the most aesthetically pleasing Instagram Reel, your mission as a content creator is to get something creative out there for the rest of us to enjoy. Happy creating!